Assistant Principal Student Learning: St Francis De Sales, Leeton, NSW

St Francis De Sales Regional College, Leeton

St Francis De Sales Regional College is a Catholic Co-educational Day and Weekly Boarding School providing a comprehensive education across Years 7-12, for students from Leeton, Narrandera and surrounding rural areas in the Riverina.

The purpose of the College is to contribute to the Church’s Mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to offer to the Catholic Community and others within our Region an educational foundation for life – meaning development towards the physical, intellectual, social, emotional and moral growth of the students.

August 2016 Census:  699, with 194 of these Weekly Boarding students

Educational priorities for St Francis De Sales Regional College, Leeton 2016

• Continuing to provide strong Pastoral and Academic Care for all members of our community.
• To continue to improve student achievement in all areas of contemporary learning.
• Continue providing for collegial planning and collaborative practices.
• Building on our whole school improvement framework.
• Continue to develop balanced student assessment practices (formative and summative processes)

School Priorities

• Embed purposeful pedagogy and build teacher capacity to improve student learning outcomes.
• Further develop elements of a professional learning community.
• Use the inquiry spiral to improve student achievement in writing.
• Target professional learning to suit the needs of teachers and students
• Strengthen Catholic identity and empower teachers in classroom practice of Religious Education.
• Continue to bridge the gap between day and boarding school.

The College is supported by the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) which is accountable to the Bishop and is led by the Director of Schools, Mr Alan Bowyer. There are 27 primary schools and 5 secondary schools that educate in excess of 8,500 students through the dedication and work of approximately 1,000 staff.

An Introduction to The Diocese of Wagga Wagga

The Diocese of Wagga Wagga is in rural NSW, located in the Riverina and south western district of New South Wales. The Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers are significant geographical features of our area – the diocese – and on our eastern border lie the mountainous regions of the Great Dividing Range. The area has large and small towns and some of Australia’s richest and most picturesque countryside.

The Diocese of Wagga Wagga has a rich faith tradition; our faith communities are nourished and sustained by the sacramental life of the church administered and accessed through 31 parishes.

Our Bishop is Gerard Hanna

Appeal of Living in Rural NSW

If you are from a metropolitan/coastal city, and have not experienced life in rural areas, there are three key aspects for you to explore and consider:

1. How would your financial position alter if you accepted a senior role in rural NSW?
2. How will your home life benefit by experiencing the sense of community rural living provides?
3. How will your career thrive because of the leadership experiences a senior appointment would provide?

Further Information

Please visit the following websites for a range of additional information:

• St Francis De Sales Regional College website at www.sfcww.catholic.edu.au
• Catholic Schools Office website at http://www.csoww.catholic.edu.au
• Information on the Leeton: http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/wagga-wagga-and-riverina/leeton/attractions

Position Overview

Position Title:   Assistant Principal Student Learning

Reports to:      Principal

Leadership Team Position

All members of the Leadership Team at St Francis De Sales Regional College have an important role to play in ensuring that Catholic education is Gospel based, student centered inclusive and holistic.

It is expected that the Leadership Team members understand and appreciate the Catholic perspective of the College; and through their teaching, other work and by personal example, strive to help students to understand, accept and appreciate Catholic teaching and values.

In particular, the Assistant Principal Student Learning is responsible for working with the Principal implementing the vision for Learning and Teaching in the College.  This vision is one which aims to foster the growth of a Professional Learning Community and is characterized by:

• a relentless focus on learning for all students
• a collaborative culture and collective effort to support student and adult learning
• a results orientation to improve practice and drive continuous improvement

The Assistant Principal Student Learning is responsible for the comprehensive care and effective management of the students of the College including overseeing student academic care, well- being, discipline, attendance, punctuality, presentation, and stewardship of the buildings; the design, implementation and evaluation of policies, practices and procedures to enhance student spiritual, personal, physical, social and academic formation, safety and well-being in curricular and co-curricular programs; the support of the vital role of parents and caregivers; and the dynamic, innovative, efficient and effective leadership of the Pastoral Care Team.

The Assistant Principal shares with, and supports the Principal in his/her role of leadership, and consequently acts as a focus of unity within the College Community and shares the responsibility for the continued implementation of the College’s Vision and Mission.

Accountability

• Demonstrate leadership of the Pastoral Care Team
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the College
• Ensure that all practices reflect College policies, CSO policies and the requirements of the NSW Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES)
• In collaboration with the Principal, hold Year Co-ordinators accountable for their duties and responsibilities
• As a result of the Renewal and Development for Persons of Responsibility (RADPOR) process, participate in role related professional learning according to the Professional Learning Plan (PLP)
• Exercises pastoral care in a manner which is restorative and reflects the values of the Catholic School
• Collaborates with the Principal, other members of the Leadership team and the KLA Co-ordinator team in order to support effective academic care and student well-being.

 In particular, the Assistant Principal – Leader of Student Learning is responsible to the Principal for the following:

• Recognise and promote the role learning plays in the excellent pastoral care of students and teachers
• Support Year Co-ordinators in the wellbeing, care, behaviour management and learning support of students
• Be able to innovate, develop and lead change in wellbeing, learning and pastoral care
• Have a passion for Catholic education and be able to support the integration of Catholic values across the school community
• Drive school improvement through effective leadership of focus teams
• Oversee the management of structures that facilitate wellbeing, learning and pastoral care
• Have a passion to lead Teacher Professional Learning
• Monitor teacher performance management using the AITSL framework aligned to the CSO processes for teacher development and review
• Foster a climate of success in all areas of school life
• Facilitate and develop research based innovations to improve student learning and wellbeing through more effective teacher led action research programs within the school
• Be able to collate, validate and use data to support a self-reviewing and self-improving school culture that informs and enhances teaching and learning practice
• Will have the ability to work with teachers who support students in setting learning goals and monitoring and mentoring their progress
• Work collaboratively with a series of teams to achieve successful outcomes for a diverse range of students and teachers
• Participating in the formative and summative performance reviews of all Year Co-ordinators and assisting with the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of Professional Learning Plans
• Collaborating with the Leader of Learning and Teaching on effective mechanisms for the holistic tracking of individual students
• Leading the staff in a range of professional development activities and experiences and assisting in the organisation, implementation and evaluation of Staff Development Days
• Supervising movements of one cohort into the next cohort including transition meetings with the respective Year Co-ordinators Coordinator
• Developing a student reporting system that meets the need for ongoing feedback to students and parents
• Drawing up the required steps and due dates for the completion and distribution of all Student Reports
• Contributing to the arrangement of parent teacher and information evenings
• Monitoring student attendance and punctuality, including correct maintenance of records and receipt of necessary documentation
• Supervising the maintenance of a database of at risk students
• Coordinating agendas for and conducting regular meetings of the Pastoral Team and ensuring prompt follow through on minutes and approved recommendation
• Contributing to the recruitment, induction, development and retention of quality staff
• Work collaboratively with the Principal and other members of the Leadership Team

Commencement

It is anticipated that successful applicant will be able to commence for the start of the 2017 school year.

 Location

St Francis de Sales Regional College is located in Yanco Ave, Leeton NSW.

Conditions of Employment

• Salary: Current salary classification, plus an allowance of $35,345.00 (School size 601-900 pupils) plus a further 10% of the total salary.
• Salary Packaging: employees may elect to take their remuneration as a combination of cash salary and benefits as outlined in the Diocese of Wagga Wagga Salary Packaging Employee Information Guide.
• Applicants who are successful in gaining an interview will receive an interview travel allowance. Relocation allowance will be provided for the successful applicant.
• The successful applicant will undertake a New Working with Children Check or provide their number for verification, and a National Police Checking Service (Crimtrac) prior to appointment.

Selection Criteria

We invite expressions of interest from people able to demonstrate:

• A Catholic with an appreciation of and active commitment to Catholic life and practice
• Be a practising Catholic accredited to teach Religious Education
• Evidence of ongoing development and integration of learning related to Religious Education, Theology, Scripture, Leadership and Curriculum.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in a leadership position in Catholic schools/Education Offices.

Ideally applicants will also be able to demonstrate the following attributes and skills:

• A highly competent classroom teacher whose practices reflect current pedagogy and employ a broad range of teaching strategies and learning technologies
• Communicate effectively in both written and verbal format
• Work collaboratively as member of a team and effectively facilitate group interaction
• Effectively plan, prioritise, co-ordinate, and, if necessary, delegate multiple tasks in a timely manner
• Use highly developed problem solving skills
• Maintain confidentiality and manage challenging situations with composure and diplomacy
• Be professionally resilient and flexible
• Articulate educational issues and perspectives in communication with colleagues and others, and particularly in staff meetings.

Are you Interested in This Opportunity?

If you are interested in this role, there are two options for you to proceed:

1. If interested, but have questions requiring a response before deciding whether to progress, then either (a) telephone our Director John Chesher (0417 068 220) or (b) email our office via mail@traksearch.com or from this page of our website with your questions.
2. If and when you have enough information to start this process, then simply email us at mail@traksearch.com or from this page of our website stating your interest in this role and nominating ref number TS1343; also providing a brief resume and contact telephone number.

At this stage we do NOT ask for you to labour over selection criteria or application document – just a one-line email to Trak Search to indicate your interest in ‘St Francis De Sales Assistant Principal TS1343’ and providing your brief resume and contact telephone number. The timeline and details for this project are outlined below. All emails and applications are acknowledged within 48 hours.

The Selection Process

Key dates are as follows:

Trak Search has been instructed to provide a process that is welcoming for people interested in this role. Significant aspects include:

• Throughout the process, Trak Search is available for confidential discussions and to provide information to allow you to explore this opportunity and determine your interest in the role.
• A range of additional information will be provided to you as we progress through this process.
• At the outset you will not be required to: complete an application form; provide a lengthy, comprehensive document to address the selection criteria; or provide any referee details. However, you will be invited to supply us with additional information (verbally and in writing) as you progress through the process.
• A late application could be accepted, providing it does not adversely impact other applications or the schedule. Please be aware however that any application received after close of business on the date noted above is more likely to be returned to you.
• At the appropriate time (refer above) we will seek written consent to speak with referees – listing referees on your resume does not signify consent.
• We expect to contact one work related referee prior to short listing, with additional references completed later in the process.  You should always expect that prior to reaching the final stage of the project, we will ask to speak with at least one person who has: directly managed you; recently; and for a significant time period.
• All information provided to Trak Search will be made available prior to short listing, in confidence, to CSO Leadership unless you instruct Trak Search otherwise.

You are also encouraged to view our Collection Statement which provides details on the manner in which we collect and use information obtained from you during your engagement with Trak Search.